Kazakh Air Astana, Italian Neos Forge Strategic Partnership

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 16. Kazakhstan's AirAstana has signed a memorandum of understanding with Neos SpA(Neos), the second Italian airline and part of the Alpitour group,to enter a strategic partnership, Trend reports.

According to the company, the strategic partnership willencompass several areas of cooperation, including:

- a codeshare agreement under which Air Astana will apply amarketing code to Neos-operated flights between Milan Malpensa(MXP) and Almaty (ALA) and vice versa;
- service collaboration on Boeing aircraft from 2025, when AirAstana Group will receive delivery of three Boeing 787-900. Wherepermitted, the parties will share technical and operationalinsights gained during existing operations by Neos and theirentrance into service by Air Astana.
- the parties will consider and evaluate the formation of a jointventure for routes between Italy and Kazakhstan where regulatory,antitrust, and governmental authority permit.

"We are delighted to enter a strategic partnership with Neos andlook forward to exploring initiatives together so we can betterserve our mutual customers. This agreement will provide Air Astanapassengers with more flexibility, convenience, and choice offlights between Kazakhstan and Italy. The first interline agreementwas signed by Air Astana in 2005, and since then, the group hassteadily grown ties with other international carriers in Asia andEurope as we endeavor to offer our customers even more choices fortraveling around the world," Peter Foster, CEO of Air Astana Group,said.

Earlier, the Italian airline Neos announced plans to openflights between Astana (Kazakhstan) and Rome (Italy), as well asbetween Astana and Milan (Italy). The airline also plans toincrease the number of flights on the Almaty-Milan route.

Meanwhile, as one of the largest private Italian airlines, Neosflies to more than 70 destinations. The company's revenue in 2022was $640 million.

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